Public Meeting – 17th March 2007

Councilors, including Donald Anderson, were quizzed by angry locals and athletes over the Council’s decision to sell off Meadowbank (Anderson lead the Council at the time the decision was made).

While the sell-off decision had already been made (with absolutely no public or user input), there is a current consultation on specific Council proposals to sell the Stadium to property developers in order to turn the site into yet more luxury flats.
While some politicians tried desperately to focus on these specific proposals, the meeting made it clear that they were not there to discuss the number of flats that are to be built or the size of a proposed leisure centre that may or may not be incorporated within the luxury development.

Instead, the meeting remained focused on saving the stadium in its entirety, regardless of what might be built at Sighthill or anywhere else.

Very much taken aback by the numbers and the strength of feeling within the meeting, Anderson was forced to concede that a rethink was necessary.
The meeting demanded that the public voice be heard, and the politicians responsible for the decision were forced to listen.

With the elections in 6 weeks time, those responsible for taking the decision were made aware that their own futures were inherently linked to Meadowbank’s.

The decision that had already been made behind closed doors is now to be revisited! But it is not over yet! We need to keep the pressure up.

An Evening News poll indicates 87% public support for keeping Meadowbank stadium, regardless of what other facilities are built elsewhere.